Clay pin drying and cutting machine



Get. 2, 1934. w w |Rw|N CLAY PIN DRYING AND CUTTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1955 m MH fi Vaa EYE-nibw. w. IRWIN CLAY PIN DRYING ANb CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1955 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 awuewbo c Patented Oct. 2, 1934 UNHITED' STA CLAY PIN DRYING AND CUTTING MACHINE William W. Irwin, East Liverpool, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Potters Supply Company, East Liverpool, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 2, 1933, Serial No. 700,728

10 Claims.

The invention relates to a machine similar to that disclosed by U. S. Patent 1,315,507, patented September 9, 1919 by De Witt D. Irwin. This machine effected partial drying of strips of clay, transversely cut the partially dried strips into pins, and then completed the drying operation so that the pins were in readiness for firing to be used as saggar pins or the like in supporting articles of potterywhile baking in kilns. The machine in question out both ends of the pins at right angles to their lengths, but it has been found that if one end of the pin be cut obliquely, a much sharper corner will exist for contact with the ware, so that the inevitable blemishes caused by contact of the pins with the ware will be reduced to the minimum. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved cutting means which will cut the pins with the desired bevel, at least at one end.

A further object is to provide a new and improved machine which will cut the pins into the most preferred shape, that is, with a bevel at one end and no bevel at the other end, allowing the latter to be more snugly received in the usual pin socket, than if it also were beveled.

The strips of clay from which the pins are out, are extruded onto boards which are placed upon driven endless chains and carried thereby through the drying tunnel of the machine, and during their travel, the pins are cut, and a further object of the invention is to provide unique mounting means for the cutting disks, and spring means normally urging said disks toward said boards so that the disks may float to any extent which may be required, due to uneven thicknesses of the boards, warping, etc.

A still further object is the provision of a construction which is simple and inexpensive, yet efiicient, reliable and durable.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a vertical through a drying tunnel and the pin board conveying means, showing the improved cutting mechanism in elevation, this view being cut on line 1'1of Fig. 2. w

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical longitudinal sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view partly in elevation, similar to a portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan View, partly in horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing transverse sectional view a number of the cutting disks and their mounting means.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modification. I

Figs. 7 8 and 9 are respectively a top plan view, a side elevation and an end view of one of thepins cut by the machine. I I

A drying tunnel T is shown having a heat insulating lining L, said tunnel being supported byrigid side frames F. Within the tunnel are parallel rails R supporting the upper reaches of endless driven conveyor chains C, said chains having supports S for the pin boards B.-- These boards support the transversely triangular clay strips 5, carry them through the drying tunnel T to dry them sufliciently for cutting, then carry said strips under the improved cutting mechanism M, and then convey the'cut pins on through the tunnel to complete drying thereof in readiness for firing. 7

All of the cutting mechanism is preferably; mounted upon a single shaft 10 which extends transversely through the tunnel T and may have its ends secured non-rotatably at- 11 upon the side frames F. This cutting mechanism, in the present disclosure, consists of a plurality of units 12 which are duplicates of each other, and two more units 12* and 12 respectively, which with certain exceptions, are duplicates of said units' 12. Each of the units 12 is provided with a ver--- tical cutting disk 13 and with an inclined cut-a ting disk 14, but unit 12 is provided only with an inclined disk 14*, and unit 12 is provided only with a vertical cutting disk 13 The various disks are so arranged that those standing perpendicular to the pin supporting means, will cut one end of the pins P at right angles to the lengths of said pins, whereas the inclined disks will obliquely cut or bevel the other ends of the pins, producing an unusually sharp corner P for contactwith the ware, when'the-finally completed pins are used during kiln baking of said ware. a

Each of the units 12, '12 and 12 includesa. bracket 15 having a-hub 16 keyed at 17 upon'the shaft 10 and held in any position to which it may be slid, by a set screw 18. The hub 1(5, for ease of application of the shaft, is preferably formed of two sections secured together by cap screws or the like 19. Integral withonesection of this hub is laterally projecting lug 20 to which two vertically swingable arms 21 and 22 are pivoted at 23 and 24 respectively, the arm 21 carrying the disk 13 while the disk 14 is carried by the arm 22. Above these swingable arms, the bracket 15 is provided with a laterally projecting rigid arm 25 which is preferably separate from said bracket and secured to it by cap screws'or the like 26. Coiled compression springs 2'7 are'interposed between the fixed arms 25 and the arms 21 and 22, to downwardly urge these arms and the disks carried thereby, yet to allow any required floating of the disks when encountering irregularities in theboards B. Set screws 28 having locknuts 29 are preferably threaded through the arm 25 for varying the strength of the springs 27, as may be desired. Then too, stop screws 30 having lock nuts 31 are preferably carried by the arm 25 to limit the downward swinging of the arms 21 and 22 under the influence of the springs 27, said stop screws functioning primarily after the last pin board of any run has passed under the cutting mechanism M, thereby prohibiting the disks and arms from swinging out of their properrelation with other parts.

For the unit 12 since the vertical disk 13 2 5 is omitted, the arm 21 andthe associated spring and stop screw, such as 27 and 30, are also omitted. For the unit 12 since no inclined disk 14 is used, the carrying arm 22 and the associated spring and stop screw are omitted.

. Should it be desired to construct the mechanism M to only cut at right angles to the lengths of the strips s, the lug 20 and arm on a bracket 15 corresponding to the bracket 15, may be shorter, as seen in Fig. 6. To the lug 35 20 a spring-pressed arm 21 for a vertical cuttingdisk13 is pivoted. A similar construction could well be used if the machine were desired to out both ends of the pins obliquely, it being then only necessary to mount the cutting .disks in inclined positions upon the arms such as 21 r o It will be seen from the foregoing that novel provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while the details 45,, disclosed are preferably followed, it is to be understood that numerous variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim;

1. A cutting machine comprising a traveling so sup'portfor material .to be'cut, a plurality of disks for cutting material on said support, arms upon which said disks are mounted respectively, means mounting said arms for independent swinging toward and from said support, and means for urging said arms independently :to-

ward saidsupport.

2. Aacutting machine comprising a traveling support for material to be cut, a plurality of disks for cutting the material on said support,

so arms upon which said disks are mounted respectively, means mounting said arms for independent swinging toward. and from said support, and spring means for urging said arms toward said support. 55; 3. A cutting machine comprising atraveling support. for material to be cut,'a plurality of disks for cutting the material on, said support,

arms upon which, said disks are mounted respectively, brackets to which said arms are piv 7:o -oted for independent swinging toward and from i and reacting against said brackets for urging said arms toward said support.

4. A cutting machine comprising a traveling support for material to be cut, a shaft parallel with and transverse to the line of travel of said support, means for mounting said shaft and holding it against rotation, a plurality of'brackets spaced apart along said shaft and having hubs secured upon the same, arms pivoted to said brackets to swing toward and from said support, cutting disks mounted on said arms, and spring means acting against said arms and reacting against said brackets for urging said arms toward said support.

5. In a machine for cutting clay strips to form saggar pins, a traveling support for the clay strips, and means for transversely cutting the traveling clay strips, said means including means inclined to the lengths of said strips for obliquely cutting at least one end of each pin formed by said transverse cutting. p

6. A pin cutting machine comprising a trave ing support for strips to be cut into pins, spaced cutting means mounted in positions substantial- 1y perpendicular to said support for transversely cutting the traveling strips to form one end of the pins, and additional cutting means mounted in inclined positions for transversely cutting said strips to form the other ends of the pins.

7. A pin cutting machine comprising a traveling support for strips to be cut into pins, spaced cutting disks substantially perpendicular to said support for transversely cutting the traveling strips to form one end of the pins, additional cutting disks inclined to said support for cutting the other ends of the pins, individual carrying arms for the various disks, means mounting saidarms to swing toward and from said support, and spring means for urging said arms toward said support.

8. In a cutting machine, a bracket having a hub for mounting it upon a shaft, said bracket being provided witha rigid lug projecting laterally from said hub, a disk-carrying arm pivoted to said lug, and spring means actingon said arm and reacting on said bracket-for urging said arm in one direction. 7

9. In a cutting machine, a bracket havinga hub for mounting it upon a shaft, said bracket being provided with a rigid lug projecting laterally from said hub, and also having a laterally projecting rigid arm spaced from said lug, disk-1 carrying arm pivoted to said lug, and a coiled spring interposed between said arm and said disk-carrying arm for urging the latter in one direction. a

10. In a cutting machine, a bracket having a hub for mounting it upon a shaft, said bracket being provided with a rigid lug projecting laterally from said hub, and also having a laterally other of said pivoted armsand disposed -'in a;

plane inclined to the aforesaid plane, and spring means acting on said pivoted arms'and-reacting;

against said rigid arm for urging said pivoted arms in one direction.

, WILLIAM w. rawrn. 

